Newark, N.J. — Merab Dvalishvili left no doubt in the rematch, capping his rivalry with Sean O’Malley in dominant fashion with a third-round submission at UFC 316, held Saturday night at the Prudential Center.
Dvalishvili (20-4) retained his bantamweight title with a relentless performance, dismantling O’Malley (18-3) from start to finish. Unlike their closely contested bout at UFC Noche last September—where Dvalishvili earned a decision to take the belt—this one was a one-sided showcase of his pressure, cardio, and grappling.
From the opening bell, Dvalishvili suffocated O’Malley with nonstop forward movement, controlling the pace and outworking him in every exchange. In Round 3, he hoisted the former champ high off the mat and slammed him to the canvas before sinking in a D’Arce choke at 4:42, forcing O’Malley to tap for the first time in his UFC career.
With the victory, Dvalishvili extended his win streak to 13 fights, tying him for the fourth-longest streak in UFC history. He also notched his 12th win in the bantamweight division, solidifying his status among the division’s elite.
“I just train every day and stay focused,” Dvalishvili said after the win. “It doesn’t matter what you have—if you know where you’re going and work toward your goal, anything is possible. Believe in your dreams.”
O’Malley, who had undergone hip surgery and made several lifestyle changes ahead of the rematch, was composed but clearly overwhelmed by Dvalishvili’s unrelenting pace. Though he landed a few sharp counters, he was outclassed across every metric—outstruck 135-34 and taken down five times.
“That wasn’t how I pictured it going,” O’Malley admitted. “Merab’s a monster. But I’m still grateful—I’ve got a newborn, a 4-year-old, and a perfect wife. I’m excited to go home and enjoy my family.”
This marked Dvalishvili’s second successful title defense, having previously defeated Umar Nurmagomedov—cousin of Khabib—in January. Up next, he’s expected to face top contender Cory Sandhagen (18-5), who recently scored an emphatic second-round win over Deiveson Figueiredo.
Saturday’s fight not only added to Dvalishvili’s legacy but also solidified his position as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
